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By Scott Mansch Pastor Jeffrey B. Williams has for several years now reminded his congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church in Slayton of the reward in Heaven that awaits believers in Jesus Christ.
Recently Pastor Williams was honored for a lengthy commitment to his calling as a military chaplain with a prestigious award from Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Pastor Williams was the recipient of the Bronze St. Martin of Tours Award, acknowledging his 29 years of meritorious service as a Civil Air Patrol chaplain.
The congregation at Trinity Lutheran, which is affiliated with the LCMS and is located at 2105 King Ave. in Slayton, will celebrate with and honor Pastor Williams on Sunday, May 7, with a barbecue in the church parking lot that begins at 11:15 a.m. The public is invited to the event.
Pastor Williams, who has been married to Sally for 52 years, graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1992. Previous to accepting the call at Trinity in Slayton some four years ago, he served congregations in Kansas, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Pastor Williams holds a Ph.D. In Education from Kansas State University.
As a member of the Civil Air Patrol Pastor Williams has risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is assigned the duties of Deputy Chaplain for Information Technology, and the Iowa Wing Chaplain, coordinating the Chaplain Corps activities in Iowa. Last month, he was named the Iowa Wing/North Central Region Chaplain of the Year.
The Bronze St. Martin of Tours award, for which Pastor Williams was presented a dignified medal, is given by the Ministry to the Armed Forces Committee, Office of International Mission. The citation to Pastor Williams reads: “In recognition of and in gratitude to God for his years of distinguished service as a Chaplain in the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. Pastor Williams’ ministry personifies the Civil Air Patrol motto of “Semper Vigilans” — Aways Vigilant. Chaplain Williams brings the light of Christ to the youth and potential military leaders of our nation. His actions display “ministry of presence” to all resulting in a positive impact on their lives. Chaplain Williams, in keeping with the Civil Air Patrol Chaplain values, is the personification of a “reminder of the holy” to the people he serves.
“In awarding the Bronze St. Martin of Tours award, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod commends to Almighty God our deep thanksgiving and heartfelt praise for the gift of Chaplain Jeffrey B. Williams.”
The Bronze of St. Martin of Tours award is particularly meaningful and appropriate for Lutheran chaplains.
The award, named for St. Martin of Tours, remembers the Bishop of Tours, France, after whom Martin Luther was later named. Martin of Tours, who was born in 316 AD, served as an officer in the Roman Army. One day to encountered a poor beggar shivering from the cold. Martin cut his cape in two and covered the beggar with one half. That night, according to tradition, Christ appeared to Martin in a dream, wearing the half of the cape given to the beggar. Martin came to faith in Christ, eventually founded a monastery and became so well known for his devotion to the Lord that he was installed as Bishop of Tours, France.
Following Martin’s death, the remaining half of his cape became an object of veneration. French kings had it the cape carried into battle and prepared a shrine for it. In Latin, the shrine was called a “capella,” through which have come English words such as “chapel” and “chaplain.”
Consequently, since Medieval days, Martin of Tours has been identified with those who serve as military chaplains.
